O Lord, frustrate Liyel Imoke’s plan!

It is in obedience to that command that I have decided to publicly talk to you over a matter that threatens the very destiny of the over 3 million children of yours domiciled in Cross River State.Abba Father, the matter has to do with the plan of Governor Liyel Imoke to go to what they […]

It is in obedience to that command that I have decided to publicly talk to you over a matter that threatens the very destiny of the over 3 million children of yours domiciled in Cross River State.
Abba Father, the matter has to do with the plan of Governor Liyel Imoke to go to what they literary and metaphorically call the bond (slave/servant) market to raise a loan of 40 billion naira on behalf of the beleaguered people of Cross River State. What the man wants to do with that money for the people of the state is not very clear to all well-meaning people. He says it is for ‘’ongoing projects’’ but many are sceptical. They think it is actually for ‘’on-going political project’’ or for ‘’impending send-forth party’’. But what is very clear to all is that if Governor Imoke succeeds, it would spell monumental disaster for the good people of CRS.
First consider this fact, Lord: CRS is the third most indebted state in the federation after Bayelsa and Lagos. While the other two have the ability to discharge their obligation to creditors over a course of time, CRS does not seem to have any such ability. Its oil wells have inexplicably been given to its well off neighbour. And then there is no indication of any creativity on the path of those governing the state to have any regenerative investments to enable the state to pay off its debts and meet other governmental obligations. For the state to now borrow more money looks to some of us like compounding a very unpleasant problem. How will CR get itself out of this morass, if Imoke’s plan is not urgently frustrated and rendered naught?
Second, we hear that the governor is so bent on getting that humongous loan that he has been desperately persuading members of the state house of assembly, local government chairmen, councillors and other opinion leaders to support his plan. They say he is inducing them with promises of money and other good things.  Third, and more disturbingly, we also hear that the governor said he came into office and inherited a huge debt from his predecessors so it will be okay if he also leaves a huge debt for his successor. Ancient of Days, even if the man did not voice out this sentiment and is only a concoction from the imagination of his ‘detractors’, his intention fits perfectly that thinking. Baba, Governor Imoke has been in power now for seven years, seven months and seven days. What plans does he have to change the fortunes of CRS that he could not think of and act on for those many moons that he now thinks he can do in the remaining five short moons of his tenure?
The governor is now a lame duck. And we have entered a critical election period in which governance has taken a distant back seat while politics and endless politicking has taken a front seat. It will be so from now on until after elections in February next year. Even after elections, incumbents like Imoke whose tenures have expired will be busy preparing handing-over notes to successors. When will Imoke have time to use that money well for the present and future glory of CRS? If there is a felt need which Imoke has identified which requires borrowing money to finance, why not leave it for his successor? Why try to tie the hands of a successor and mortgage the future of 3 million CRSriverians?  The I Am that I Am, I am taking this my heartfelt petition to you because we are a docile and a largely self-seeking people. In other lands, Imoke’s questionable plan is the type that will cause hundreds of thousands of concerned and discerning citizens to pour on to the streets in sit-tight protest until the plan is announced shelved. But here, even those who know the evil that Imoke’s plan portends for the good people of CRS will not even volunteer a feeble opinion against it for fear of jeopardizing their own personal political or economic survival.   Jehovah Rohi, our shepherd and guide, and Yahweh Shofteinu, The Impartial Judge, please note this and guide us and also judge between the people of CRS and Governor Imoke: Imoke’s immediate predecessor Donald Duke created a sort of Sovereign Wealth Fund to safeguard the future of CRSriverians. A law was made forbidding the spending of monies accruing to this Fund unless members of the state house of assembly and other stakeholders agreed. But when Imoke ran into a tight corner with regard to finance, he railroaded (induced) the legislators to amend that law to enable him to address an immediate challenge with funds meant for the future generation of CRSriverians. By this singular act, Lord, I do not think Imoke is a fit and proper person to take any loan on behalf of Cross River State because he is not likely to do anything meaningful with it in this short period available to him.
Jehovah Melpati The Great Deliverer, please consider my plea and repair urgently to the help of helpless CRSriverians. Deliver us from what many people regard as evil plan on the part of a man you ordained to govern us. I call you a Godipulator because I cannot bear to say that you can manipulate things to frustrate evil or wicked plans. It is only men who manipulate things. Therefore, Godipulate things in the way only you can do and thwart the plan of Imoke. His plan may be noble. But it is clearly mistimed and if he succeeds the money will be misapplied and leave CRSriverians worse off than when he happened on the throne.